…You've got to get the biscuits!

NYFCC and LAFCA Awards Winners

Why am I sharing the poster of my favorite film of the year? Read on and find out.

The coasts have spoken. And they have a couple of surprises to offer us.

First, the New York Film Critics Circle, an awards group once considered superior in prestige to the Oscar.

Then, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Which tends to do their own thing.

I should note one thing before I start: I’m not going to try and cover every awards group this year. Just the major ones. This is as much for the sake of time as for the sake of keeping my writing on these awards and on these films in general fresh.

NYFCC:

Best Film: La La Land

This is a little surprising. I’d have guessed a musical romance would’ve been considered too light or too populist for this bunch. But this is one of the big three of the season (whether it remains a mere big three or expands remains to be seen), so it’s not a shocker.

Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

Could he actually win the Oscar? It’s obviously too soon to call, but he’s been racking up the awards thus far.

Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester By the Sea

He’ll win the Oscar. At this point the only serious competition I can think of is Denzel Washington in Fences, and his film isn’t making the same kind of impact.

Best Actress: Isabelle Huppert, Elle and Things to Come

I’m so scared the Academy will fuck her over. I feel like they somehow will.

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

He’s good, and he’s a good actor who hasn’t been fully appreciated. That said, I’d actually put at least two of his co-stars ahead of him, in part because his role is comparatively small. But if he wins the big one I won’t be upset.

Best Supporting Actress: Michelle Williams, Manchester By the Sea and Certain Women

Weird that they cite her for both films, since I actually wasn’t all that impressed by her work in Certain Women (mostly because her segment of the film was, for my money, by far the weakest).

Best Screenplay: Manchester By the Sea

Sounds about right.

Best Cinematography: Moonlight

It’s handsomely shot, but it’s not even in my top 5. (It’s my #7.)

Best Animated Film: Zootopia

Shame that no one seems to be showing any love to the wonderful Finding Dory, but this is very good as well.

Best Foreign Language Film: Toni Erdmann

Can’t wait to see this.

Best Non-Fiction Film: O.J.: Made in America

…can’t wait to see this, either.

Best First Film (TIE): Kelly Fremon Craig, The Edge of Seventeen and Trey Edward Shults, Krisha

The Edge of Seventeen is a really nice little coming-of-age comedy-drama with Hailee Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson in fine form.

Krisha I just need to see.

The film to charm anyone…right?

LAFCA:

Best Picture: Moonlight (runner-up: La La Land)

Weird that the Los Angeles critics didn’t go with the L.A.-set film, while the New York critics did, but…eh.